Holder



Now 13,1928. A 1,691,155

E. L'HOWELL HOLDER Filed March 22, 1927 gwuontoc ELI-Iowan Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD I. Bowm n rnILLirsBn'Re, new innsnY.

nonnnn.

Application filed March 22, 1927 Serial No 177,376.

This invention is a holder intended more particularly for supporting pocket flashlights upon an automobile in such position that the batteryof the flashlight will not be jolted. into the circuit-closing position and thereby imnecessarily consumed. At present, it is a very general practice to carry flashlights in the pockets of automobile doors or in like receptacles provided upon parts of the vehicle, and the vibration of the vehicle during travel jolts the circuit-closing elements of the flashlight into operative posi tion so that the life of the battery'is shortened, and it is, therefore, a specific object of the present invention to provide a simple, in-

expensive and eflicient device whereby a flash light may be carried in a horizontal position at such a point that it will not be affected by vibration of the vehicle body. A device constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully de scribed, the novel features being particular- 1y. pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing: 7 Figure l is a perspective view of my improved holder in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective.

indicates a portion of the dash or the instrument board of a vehicle to which the holder is secured. The holder comprises a base member 2 which may be constructed of sheet metal and is provided with suitable openings through which fastening screws, indicated at 3, may be inserted into the part to which the device is to be attached. The ends of the,

- the upper edge ofeach side arm 4 which form stops, as will presently more fully appear.

arm 4 is a clamping member comprising an ear or lug 8 through which a securing pivot 9 may be inserted and an arm having a portion 10 extending upwardly and forwardly In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 Pivoted upon the outer side upon each side from the pivot lug or car 8 and a portion 11 projecting forwardly from the portion 10 and adapted to extend over the flashlight when the latter is resting in the seats 5. The portions 11 terminate in upwardly projecting guides 12 which diverge from the lower guide 6 so that, if a flashlight be brought into position in front of the holder and then pushed rearwardly, it will spread the arms 11 from the arms at and pass over the guides 6 into engagement with the seats 5 in an obvious manner. Retractile springs 18 are provided at the sides of the holder and have their opposite ends secured respectively to the arms t and to the swinging arms at the junctions of the portions 10 and 11 of the latter, as shown and as will be understood, so that the clamping arms are constantly pressed toward the supporting arms, To limit the pivotal movement of the clamping arms so that they will always be in position to prevent dislodgment of a holder and at the same time movable to permit the insertion or withdrawal of the holder, a tongue or lateral lug 14 is formed on the rear edge of the portion 10 of each clamping arm to play between and abut the respectively adjacent stop lugs 7 on the lower arms. This arrangement is shown clearly in Fig. 3.

From what has been said, it will be seen that normally the upper clamping arms are drawn forwardly and downwardly by the springs and the tongues 14 rest against the forward stop lugs 7. lVhen the flashlight is to be placed in the holder, it is merely pushed between the guides 6 and 12 and will thereby force the upper clamping arms into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that the fiashlightmay ride into the seats 5 to rest therein. The springs Will then at once return the upper clamping arms into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 so that they will extend over the light and prevent it from being jolted out of the seats. It

will be noted that the device is exceedingly.

simple in construction and may be produced at a'low cost and will operateeliiciently for the purpose for which it is primarilv designed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: y

A holder comprising a pair of horizontally spaced supporting arms having articlereceiving recesses formed in their upper edges and having their forward ends inclined 1 between the stop lugs on the respectively adjacent supporting arm whereby to limit the movement of the clamping arms in either direction and retractile springs attached to the supporting arms and the clamping arms pivoted respectively thereto in advance of the pivotal point and in rear of the recesses in the supporting arms. I

s In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD I. HOWELL. [n s] 

